It's a Wonderful Christmas Carol
by ev11235813
Summary: Jane is injured in the line of duty again. As she lies in hospital the starts thinking about her life and choices. She has always harboured deep feelings for Maura but has lacked the courage to pursue them. She get's a little help from from an old friend. Mostly cannon. Set End of S5 onwards. Definitely Rizzles
1. Chapter 1

**It's a Wonderful Christmas Carol!**

Chapter One

Jane felt the shot rather than heard it. The feeling of the hot, metal slug entering her chest like a hot knife through butter. She was on the floor before she knew what hit her. She heard more shots and some shouting that sounded as if it were coming from a long way off before she slipped into unconsciousness.

When she came to, it must have been only a little while later, as she was still on the cold, wet ground but there were two figures bending over her. Through the haze she heard _'Hold on Janie, help is on its way!'_ in a familiar voice before she blacked out again.

When she came to again, there were two other figures kneeling over her. She felt a sharp pain in her left wrist as a needle was inserted and they were asking her questions. She struggled to understand them and soon found herself blacking out once more.

She opened her eyes some time later and she was able to look around and take in her surroundings. She was in bed, in a room that could only be in a hospital. There were monitors on the wall and there was a nasal cannula on her face. She turned her head slowly to the left and saw that she had a needle in her wrist. On the side of the bed, there was a figure curled up on a chair under a blue hospital blanket. She turned her head to the right and saw another figure in another chair, also under a blanket.

She immediately recognised the figure to her right as her Mother. The Rizzoli Matriarch is easily recognisable, though her eyes are puffy. Jane immediately freezes, knowing her mother will awake if she makes the smallest movement or sound. Slowly, she turns back to the figure on her left. This figure is less easily recognisable, the woman is all but covered by the blanket. All that is visible is a head of tousled blonde hair.

Jane however, recognises this figure with ease. It is not necessarily how she looks, but deep inside her Jane knows that this sleeping figure in her friend Maura. Dr Maura Isles, the quirky, super-intelligent Chief Medical Examiner of Massachusetts would be unrecognisable to anyone else. But Jane's 'Gut', as she calls it, lets her know who it is immediately. Though if she is honest with herself, it is more the emotional response that she gets every time she sees her friend that tells her who it is.

At the sight of her best friend, who must have fallen asleep whilst crying due to the sniffling sounds she makes every so often, it takes all of Jane's self-control not to burst into tears. This in itself is unusual.

To say Jane never cries would be an understatement. Since she was a child, she has never voluntarily allowed anyone, even her Mother, to see her cry. She doesn't even do it in the privacy of her apartment. Well almost no-one. Maura Isles, despite being one of the most socially awkward people Jane has ever met, has somehow penetrated the Detectives armour. Jane, who would live on takeaways and beer if she had her way, somehow does not argue when Maura tells her to eat a kale salad.

Maura and Jane share everything. They both call the other their best friend, but if Jane is honest with herself, this is the best and most complete relationship she has ever been in. She has often found herself wondering what it would be like if she would kiss her friend. Jane has kept these feelings to herself, worrying that Maura would not reciprocate. She knew that, if this were to occur, it would probably ruin what they had and either one or both of them would probably run away. Jane had made the decision that she would rather have Maura in her life as a friend than not at all.

Jane lay there, looking at Maura's sleeping form and immediately feels guilty. There have been too many times where she has woken up in hospital with Maura sitting in the chair next to her. Jane knows that every time she gets injured, it hurts Maura a little more. And just knowing this causes Jane more pain and silent tears begin to run down her cheeks. These continue even as her breathing shallows and with a combination of the stressful day and the pain medication she is on, Jane drifts back to sleep.

When Jane opens her eyes again, she is sitting on the floor of a dark room that is only illuminated by a circle of light that shows a table and two chairs. She slowly gets up and pats herself down. She is dressed how she normally is for work, black pants, a plain button down shirt and a black blazer. This is only added to the list of things that don't make sense. Shaking her head, she makes her way over to one of the chairs. To her surprise, she can feel no pain. In fact, she had not felt this good in a long time. Even her hands don't hurt.

She sits on one of the chairs and realises how much the table and chairs look like the ones they have in the interrogation rooms at BPD. Once she is seated, Jane looks around the room. But no matter how hard she stares, she can see nothing outside the circle of light. Jane sits for a while, getting more and more jittery as there is no-one else there.

"Is there anybody there?" She says in what for Jane passes for a quiet voice. Her voice echoes but there is no reply.

"Can anybody hear me?" She shouts this time, the echoes sounding louder than ever.

There is still no reply and apart from the echoes, no sound either.

Jane, never being the one to sit still, decides that she needs to find a way out. Therefore, she gets up and extending her arms out in front of her, walks straight out into the darkness, unable to see where she is going.

Not more than a minute or so later, Jane finds herself back at the circle of light. At least she thinks it's the same, as the chair is at the same angle they always are when she has to leave in a hurry.

"Not possible!" She growls. Deciding to make sure it is, she takes a pen out of her blaze and puts it on the table. She then starts walking, again with her hands held out in front of her.

Again it takes no more than a minute or so before she is back at the circle of light. Now she knows it's the same place as the pen is still sitting on the table where she left it.

"Damn it!" She shouts, sinking to the floor. She can almost hear Maura's 'Language Jane!' as she sits on the floor with her eyes closed and her head in her hands.

She doesn't know how long she has been sitting there as time as stopped meaning anything and she is not wearing a watch. But it is some time later when she hears a familiar voice.

"C'mon Rizzoli. I've never known you to give up without a fight!" The voice says in a playful but also serious tone.

At the sound, Jane's eyes snap open and she raises her head. There is now a very familiar figure standing next to the table.

"Frost!" Jane gasped in shock.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

"Yeah Rizzoli, it's me!" The figure replied.

"But you're dead!" Jane said barely able to get her words out. She was struggling to believe her eyes and ears.

"As a doornail." Frost agreed with a small smirk, nodding his head.

"Does that mean I'm dead too?" Jane asked, starting to get worried.

"Nope! You're no more dead than you were before you got shot! You're in a kind of limbo, until you decide what you what to do next." Frost replied, sounding suddenly very serious.

"What do you mean?" Jane asked. Amazed that she was holding a semi-normal conversation with a dead man.

"Your pain has been felt across the divide of life and death. The Powers That Be do not want you to give up until you have achieved your destiny." Frost replied, watching Jane closely.

"The Powers That Be?" Jane asked in astonishment. "Do you mean God?"

"You could use that word." Frost replied. "However, like not things that's not the whole story and we do not have the time, and nor is this the place to explain it.

"So if I'm not dead, how come I'm taking to you?" Jane asked, trying to figure out what was going on.

"The Powers That Be wanted you to have a familiar face to speak to." Frost replied with a smile.

"What's being dead like?" Jane asked, unable to help her curiosity.

"A lot like being alive, only with better weather." Frost replied, clearly deflecting the point.

"So what is the plan?" Jane asked, realising she was not going to get anywhere so went back to the reason why she was here.

"You're in pain and I'm not referring to the physical kind, though you do have more than your fare share of that too. I'm here to try and help you." Frost replied.

"How?" Jane asked, trying to not to sound too impatient.

"We're going on a little trip. You will have a chance to see what your life could have been like if you had done something different. You have 3 chances to change something about your life. You can only change one thing at a time so think carefully. Also none of what you see will be real, it will only be an image of what might have been. Good or bad. Do you have any idea where you want to start?" Frost asked.

"No!" Jane huffs, crossing her arms.

"C'mon Rizzoli. There has to be something you think you could have done better?" Frost said, trying to cajole his former partner.

"There is only one thing I want to see!" Jane retorted with a snort.

"What's that?" Frost asked, though he was pretty sure he knew what the answer was.

"Maura happy and contented with someone who loves her for who she is!" Jane replied grudgingly.

"Are you saying she's not happy now?" Frost asked incredulously.

"Not at the moment!" Jane replied. "Most of the time she is content with her lot, but I don't think I have ever seen her genuinely happy!" She continued, her own comment making her more miserable. "I'm in hospital again. Every time I get hurt, it hurts Maura as well. I would do anything I could to stop her suffering like this!" she finished, coming close to tears again.

"You could always quit!" Frost quipped.

"Yeah I could, but it wouldn't solve the problem." Jane replied. "If I quit, I'll lose a big part of who I am. I would be miserable which in turn would make Maura unhappy, especially if she felt like she was the reason why I quit. It would have been better if I had never been born." Jane added sourly.

"You really think so?" Frost asked incredulously, but not really surprised as he knew that Jane always thought of others before herself and always placed more blame on herself than she had any right to.

"Yeah! The way I see it, if I die Maura will be devastated. But if I was never born, she will be free to live her life without me getting in the way." Jase stated.

"Is that really what you think?" Frost asked, not believing it for a minute.

"It would be best." Jane replied stubbornly.

"Well if that's what you want, we can take a look at what life would have been like if you had not been born! Are you sure?" Frost asked, not expecting for a minute that Jane would change her mind.

"It will be a better place!" Jane said, scowling at her former partner.

"Then let's go. But remember, this is only an image of what things might have been. No-one you see will be able to neither see nor hear you. Are you ready?" Frost asked.

"Yeah. Let's get going!" Jane replied, wanting to get this over with.

Frost smiled and extended his hand. When he touched Janes hand, there was a bright flash of light and the table disappeared.


	3. Chapter 3

As the light cleared, Jane found herself standing on a dark, residential street, not far from a house that was blazing with light. She recognised the place immediately.

"This looks like my Parents old house! The house I grew up in and got sold after Pop left!" Jane said, looking a Frost with an eyebrow raised.

"That's it. Shall we take a look inside?" He said with a smile as Jane was already halfway up the drive.

Jane got to the front door and tried to open it. She nearly lost her balance as her hand passed straight through the handle.

"Don't forget we're like ghosts here Rizzoli." Frost remarked as he caught up with her, trying not to smile. "Follow me!" He added, stepping through the door.

"This is weird!" Jane muttered as she followed her old partner through the door and into the hall of her old family home.

Jane found herself standing next to Frost in the hall near the bottom of the stairs. As she stood there, she heard the sound of the TV coming from the family room. Curious, she went to the door and poked her head round the edge.

What she saw there made her almost gasp in surprise. For seated on the sofa, watching the TV, were both her parents.

They were seated just like they used to and the sight of them brought tears to Jane's eyes that she quickly brushed away.

"They look so happy!" She murmured, almost to herself.

"Yes they do." Frost agreed, standing next to her.

"What happened?" She asked, turning to face him.

"Your Dad never had that affair or any money problems. So they never separated and they have been happily married for over 40 years. He is now semi-retired and has mostly stepped back from doing the day-to-day plumbing jobs. Only helping out when he is needed."

"Who has taken over?" Jane asked.

Before Frost could respond, the door behind them opened and a very dishevelled looking Tommy Rizzoli entered. He was carrying a belt of plumbers' tools and wearing a pair of overalls with 'Rizzoli and Sons' on the back.

"Is that you Tommy?" Angela called out from the sofa.

"Yeah it's me Ma!" Tommy replied tiredly. "Who else is gonna be coming in at this time of night?" He added sarcastically.

"Go and have a shower and get changed! I'll heat your dinner up." Angela replied, getting up from the sofa, walking straight through Jane and shooing her younger Son up the stairs.

Tommy ran up the stairs and Jane soon heard the sound of water running in a shower. Jane turned to Frost.

"Tommy? Pop got Tommy to take over?" Jane looked at Frost in shock, wondering how her wayward younger Brother got responsible.

"Nope. When Tommy got out of prison, he needed a job but no-one would give him a chance so he was in danger of forfeiting his parole. So your Dad took him on as a favour to your Ma. Tommy has repaid him by keeping straight, he's even dating a girl that they both approve of!" Frost replied, smiling at Jane.

"Who?" Jane demanded.

"Emilia Wiggins." Frost replied.

Jane smiled and began to chuckle.

"Want to let me in on the joke?" Frost asked.

"They were sweet on each other all through school, even going to Prom together. My personal thought is that her leaving to go to college pushed him off the edge as she was not around to keep him under control. Last I heard was that she was with the DA's office in New York. I always wondered what would have happened if she had stuck around!"

"Well here she is with the Boston Public Defenders office. They are planning to move in together and Tommy is planning to propose." Frost replied.

"Well he's doing well at least. What about Frankie?" She asked.

"Let's go and see." Frost said, placing his hand on Jane's shoulder again. Causing another flash.

They appeared in an unfamiliar apartment. A heavily pregnant young woman, who Jane vaguely recognised, was tidying up and cooking what looked and smelt like Gnocchi. She was about to ask where they were when the front door opened and Frankie Rizzoli entered, looking just as dishevelled as his Brother and also wearing 'Rizzoli and Sons' overalls and a tool belt. The young woman came straight over to him and gave him a kiss.

"Hi babe. That smells good. How are both my girls?" He asked after they separated, stroking the woman's face and patting her swollen stomach.

"I'm good Frankie, just a bit tired. Your Daughter is resting now, but she has been playing me up all day." The woman replied.

"Well let's hope she stays that way for a while. Do I have time for a shower before dinner?" He asked.

"Yeah. Dinner'll be about half an hour. You go and get clean." She replied.

"That sounds good Zia. I'll be down in plenty of time." Frankie gave the young woman another kiss before heading into the bedroom, closing the door behind him.

The young woman returned to the food preparation, humming to herself as she stirred the sauce.

Jane was flabbergasted. She never expected Frankie be so domestic. But the name of the young woman did trigger a memory.

"Is that Gratziella Moreno?" Jane asked.

"Yes it is. Well she's Gratziella Rizzoli now!" Frost remarked, looking back at Jane. "They've been married about a year now and as you can see, they're expecting their first child. A girl. They plan to call her Jane!" He looked keenly at his former partner as if expecting a reaction.

"Well with no me, it would be down to the first Granddaughter to be named Jane, It's a family thing!" Jane remarked before smiling to herself. "Frankie and Zia had a thing in middle school. She hated that he wanted to be a cop so they drifted apart in high school." Jane paused and turned back to Frost. "How come Frankie's not a cop?" Jane demanded.

"You were the one who inspired Frankie to become a cop. Without you around to lead the way, he was rudderless. So whenever the idea of being a cop came up, your Mother and the future Mrs Rizzoli talked him out of it.

"That's too bad. Frankie's a good cop and has the makings of a great detective. Still, he seems happy." Jane remarked.

"Who do you want to see now?" Frost asked, trying and failing to look innocent.

Jane thought for a moment. She really wanted to see Maura but she was also a little scared. While she wanted to see how happy her friend would have to be without her around, she knew it would hurt. She was convinced that Maura would be living a beautiful life but without her. So she decided to put it off.

"Let's go to HQ. I want to see how BPD is getting on without me!" Jane said, more than a little uncertainly.

Frost gave Jane a look of disbelief. He knew she was avoiding the real issue, but this was her journey.

"Ok Rizzoli. Let's go!" Frost took her wrist and there was another flash.

When the light cleared, they were standing in the middle of the Homicide bullpen. Jane looked around for any familiar faces. There was one.

Over in the corner sat Frost, not the confident person who stood next to her. Nor the competent detective she had worked with for years. This Frost was sitting at a computer doing paperwork and from the amount of it, probably for half the department.

"Ok, that's weird!" Jane remarked again.

"Welcome to my world!" The Frost next to her quipped.

"What happened?" Jane asked.

"As you were never around, when I finally joined Homicide I was partnered with Crowe. I spent the 1st year or more as the butt of all the jokes and the victim of bullying by most of the department. The Lieutenant is just as bad and there is no-one to turn to." Frost said sadly.

"Where's Korsak?" Jane asked, not seeing him anywhere and not understanding why her friend, mentor and former partner would just stand by and allow it to happen.

"Look behind you." Frost replied reluctantly and without humour.

Jane turned round slowly, dreading what she might see. What she saw was a wall of small brass plaques. Each was engraved with a name, badge number and date.

"What are all these?" She managed to stammer.

"BPD Homicide detectives killed in the line of duty." Frost replied with more than a trace of sadness in his voice.

"Why so many?" Jane asked, astounded at the amount. She could recall no more than 20 line of duty deaths in Homicide since she joined the BPD. Looking at this wall, there must have been nearly 500 deaths.

"A combination of several serial killers and an ongoing Irish gang war have given the BPD the highest mortality rate in the US. The average life expectancy of a BPD officer is 8 years. If you make detective, your life expectancy goes down even further."

"And Korsak?" Jane asked.

"2nd row in the middle." Frost indicated Korsaks' plaque.

"What happened?" Jane asked.

Frost hesitated, knowing the answer would hurt Jane further.

"What happened Frost?" Jane demanded again, only louder.

"Hoyt!" Frost replied softly.

"What about him?" Jane practically screamed at Frost.

"Well because you weren't there, Korsak was the one who rushed into the cellar. He was the one who got hit over the head by the 2x4. But unlike with you, Hoyt had no interest in torturing Korsak. So before his backup could arrive, Hoyt slit his throat. They still managed to capture him and Hoyt was still sentenced to life." Frost replied reluctantly.

Jane collapsed on the floor. The thought of her friend an mentor's life being extinguished without a thought by the man who had left her so badly scarred, made her cry more than she ever had in her life.

She sat there for a while, letting the tears fall without thought and not caring about anything.

Frost looked on. He knew she would move when she was ready. Until then, he would wait.

Eventually, Jane stirred herself and wiped her eyes on her sleeve. She knew what would make her feel better. She got up and looked at Frost.

"I want to see Maura!" Jane said shakily as she finished drying her eyes.

"It's about time!" Frost quipped before holding out his hand.

Jane took a deep breath and took it. There was another flash.

As the light faded, Jane looked around her with a puzzled look on her face.

They were not where she expected to be. There was no expensive house with upmarket furniture and artwork on the walls that Jane always associated with her friend. Neither was it a morgue, all sterile and stainless steel. They were in a plainly decorated room It was large, about 150 feet wide with long windows down one side, though unusually they had bars. The room was full of tables and chairs, a TV in one corner behind a wire mesh, some sofas and other soft seating in a circle around it. The room was full of women, sitting in either small groups on alone. They were all dressed in either pyjamas or sweatpants and long sleeved tops. None had shoes on, only thick socks. They were all listless, some were watching TV, some writing or drawing and some were just sitting and staring into space. Jane turned to Frost.

"What is this place?" She asked in confusion.

"Lampton psychiatric hospital for women. About half an hour north of Boston." He replied cautiously.

"Maura's a shrink in this reality?" Jane asked, now thoroughly confused.

"No Rizzoli she's not. She's over there." Frost replied softly, pointing to a figure who was sitting on her own at a table that was off to one side.

Jane looked at where he was pointing, not really understanding what he was saying. When she saw the figure, her heart broke in two and she went over to the table without saying a word. As she got closer, she could clearly see that it was Maura, though there were many differences.

Maura's golden blonde hair, once so carefully styled and cared for, now hung limply just above her shoulders. Her one clear complexion had been replaced by blotchy skin. She sat, shoulders slumped, staring into space. She was dressed in a pair of baggy sweatpants, equally baggy long sleeved t-shirt and thick woolly socks. She also wore a pair of finger-less gloves.

Jane turned back to Frost, her eyes full of tears.

"What happened?" She asked, barely able to get the words out.

Frost looked back at Jane, reluctant to tell her after all she had witnessed. Knowing that it would only cause his old partner more pain.

"C'mon Frost!" Jane begged. "Spill!"

"Alright Rizzoli." Frost paused before continuing. "Hoyt happened." He finally finished.

"What!" Jane shouted, jumping to her feet.

"About a year after he killed Korsak, Hoyt escaped prison thanks to an apprentice and the pair went on a killing spree. As part of that, they kidnapped Maura." Frost said.

"Why did he do that? I thought he only attacked couples?"

"Maura is married Jane." Frost said softly. "Although she did originally become an ME, without your support she was eventually bullied into marriage with Adam Fairfax."

"Oh!" Jane replied, her shoulder slumping again.

"The police feared the worst as they had not come close to catching him and every woman taken was dead within 24 hours. However, a little over 48 hours after Maura's abduction, the body of a man in his late 20's or early 30's was found. DNA test proved that this was Hoyt's apprentice. Though they never put a name to him. This left the police baffled. There was no sign of anything for over 6 weeks, then a killing spree like no other began. It got so bad that both the FBI and Homeland Security were called in to help. After several months in which most of Boston were afraid to leave their homes, there were still no leads and panic was rising. It continued until the police received an anonymous tip to search an abandoned warehouse. When the police and Feds arrived, they found Maura tied to a chair and Hoyt on the floor with an ice pick through his brain." Frost said as calmly as he could.

"An ice pick!" Jane exclaimed.

"Yeah! It didn't take the Feds long either to figure out that Paddy Doyle was behind it or that Maura was his biological Daughter."

"What happened then?"

"Both the Isles and the Fairfax's wanted to prevent any public trial. They got Maura declared _Non Compos Mentis_ and placed here indefinitely. She is heavily medicated most of the time and no-one visits except for an unknown older man once a month." Frost finished.

Jane fell to her knees in front of Maura, sobbing harder than ever. She longed to put her arms round her friend and offer her whatever comfort she could but she could not even touch her. She looked into Maura's eyes that usually shone with life, only to find them dull and unfocused.

"So she's all alone, Hoyt turned her into his apprentice, Boston is all screwed up and it's all my fault." Jane said, staring at Maura with tears pouring down her cheeks.

"How is it your fault? You were never born! And remember, none of this is real. It is more like a shadow of what might have been." Frost said, trying to comfort the distraught woman.

After a few minutes, Frost realised he was not going to get through to her, so he walked up and placed his hand upon her shoulder. Immediately there was another bright flash.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

As the light dissipated, Jane blinked and saw they were back in the circle of light. She slowly got to her feet, turned and looked at Frost. Her eyes were still awash with tears as she slumped down into one of the chairs and stared blankly ahead of her.

Frost looked at her and patted Jane on her shoulder, unsure how further to comfort the distraught woman.

"As I said. None of that was real and since it was causing you too much pain, I brought your first trip to an end." He said, giving her a sad smile.

Jane was silent for a while as she wrestled to get her emotions under control. The things she had experienced were fading into memory, and while they still hurt, she was comforted to know that somewhere, Maura was still her usual self and not the wreck of a person she had just seen. After a while, she looked up and saw Frost now sitting opposite her, quietly and waiting for her to speak. Shook her head and gave a wry smile.

"Well now we know that me never having been born made Maura's life worse, not better. It must be me being a Cop that causes Maura so much pain!" Jane said, as if to herself.

"What makes you think that?" Frost asked softly.

"Well it's me being a Cop that puts me in the situations that cause me to get hurt. And whenever I get hurt, it causes Maura pain." Jane remarked.

"So do you have any idea what you want to see next?" Frost asked, pretty sure what the answer would be.

"Yeah! I want to see what it would have been like if I have never joined BPD."

"Alright, trip number two! A world where Jane Rizzoli never joined the Boston PD. Remember, just like before, none of what you see or hear will be real. Let's see what that world would be like. Take my hand Rizzoli." Frost said, extending his.

Jane nodded

"I get it!" She replied, reaching out her own hand out and touching his. As she now expected, instantly there was another bright flash of light.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

When the light faded, Jane saw that they were standing on a quiet street outside a house that she recognised.

"I know this place! My Nonna Rizzoli lived here before she moved to the nursing home. It had to be sold to pay for her care costs." Jane said, memories of her Nonna making her smile.

"Shall we go inside and take a look?" Frost asked with a smile.

"Why not? Let's see who is living here now!" Jane replied, wiping the last of the tears from her face and heading up the path to the front door. With Frost hot on her heels.

Jane paused in front of the door, took a deep breath and, with a nod from Frost, stepped through it.

They were standing in a small hallway and Jane immediately went to the room on their left. Children's voices could be heard through the open door and Jane stepped though into the large, sunlit family room.

There were two children playing on the floor. A girl of about 6 and a boy of about 4 and they were playing and arguing over a large train set. They were both clearly of Italian heritage and the girl looked very like Jane.

After watching the two children for a while, Jane took a look around the room. It was comfortably, if not very expensively furnished and in pride of place in the mantelpiece was a large framed photograph of Casey Jones. He was in his Army dress uniform and staring at the camera with no expression on his face. She turned to Frost with a confused expression on her face and was about to ask a question when the front door opened.

"Ma! Ma! Where are you?" A voice called out as two girls, one blonde and the other brunette and about 12 years old, came into view.

"I'm in the Kitchen Honey!" Another, very familiar voice called.

The two girls went down the hall towards the kitchen and Jane followed them closely. They opened the door at the end of the hall and Jane came face-to-face with herself. Only this version was wearing a floral dress, flat shoes and an apron. Jane gasped in shock.

"How did practice go?" The other Jane asked the two girls.

"Great Ma! Coach says I'll be starting the next game." The blonde girl replied excitedly, bouncing up and down.

The brunette girl muttered something under her breath that Jane did not quite hear, though her counterpart clearly did.

"Natasha Sarah Jones! Do not use language like that! Just because you are not on the team; that does not give you the right to swear!" The other Jane said with her hands on her hips.

"She should be on the team Ma!" The blonde girl said. "It's just the Principal says she needs to take a step back!" The girl continued.

"I realise that Mia. But Tasha's behaviour when she first made the team was shocking. You're lucky this is only temporary and you will be back on the team soon." The other Jane addressed the Brunette, who nodded her head.

"I know that Ma, but none of the others have been punished like this." Tasha replied.

"That's because their Parents don't seem to care about their behaviour. Whereas yours do!" The other Jane said in a tone that brooked no argument. "Now go and get washed up for dinner. And don't forget, your Father will be Skyping tonight." She added.

"Yes Ma!" The Brunette girl said at the same time the Blonde said "Pop's calling!" The two girls ran out of the room together and soon they could be heard running up the stairs.

Once the girls were out of sight, the other Jane visibly deflated. She looked completed exhausted.

"Well at least one of your Parents cares!" The other Jane muttered as she went over to a cupboard. Opening it, she took a bottle of wine out and poured herself a large glass. She drank the whole glass in a couple of swallows. Once the glass was empty, it was refilled and drunk just a quickly.

Jane turned to Frost.

"Ok what happened? How did I turn into my Mother?" She asked.

"Well this Jane made a choice." Frost replied. "She had been accepted into the Academy when her Grandmother became ill and could no longer look after herself. She decided to postpone her dream and take care of her Nonna, figuring she could got to the Academy later." Frost said.

"The same thing happened to me." Jane said in a low voice. "I offered to take care of her but Nonna wouldn't let me give up on joining the BPD.I remember we had a blazing row and she practically threw me out. I told Ma and she sided with Nonna, which surprised me. So I gave in and started at the Academy. It was a few weeks after I started that I found out that Nonna had moved into a home, by which time it was too late. I ever really forgave myself. At least she was cared for at the end." Jane continued in a remembering tone.

"Well this Jane looked after her Grandmother for five years until the old lady died. She was left the house in her Grandmother's will. She applied to the Academy again and was waiting to hear back when she bumped into Casey Jones one day. He had just completed his officer training and was on leave before his first posting. They started dating and a few weeks later, after a rather drunken night out, Jane found herself pregnant. Since both families were Catholic, abortion was out of the question so they were hurriedly married. Casey was soon posted overseas and Jane was left behind to cope with her pregnancy alone. This has been the story of their marriage. Casey spending most of the time away, seeing his family only a few times a year." Frost said frowning slightly.

"Well that sucks!" Jane said, grimacing slightly. "Well at least my Ma has grandbabies to fuss over. Speaking of my Ma, I'm surmised she is leaving me alone. Where is she?" Jane asked.

Frost gave a sad smile and took Jane's had without a word. There was another flash and the house disappeared.

They appeared in what looked like a park. Jane turned to Frost.

"Where are we?" She asked.

"Turn around." He replied softly.

Jane turned round and immediately recognised where they were.

"Oak Park Cemetery!" She gasped before turning to Frost. "Ma's here?" She asked.

"Over there." Frost said, indicating a particular headstone.

Jane went over and looked at the headstone he had indicated. Sure enough is was inscribed 'Angela Rizzoli. Loving Mother and Grandmother. Jane turned back to Frost.

"What happened?" She demanded.

"Your Dad! Instead of having the affair, he took to drinking. This led to money problems and to the loss of his business. The more problems he had, the more he drank. He started taking his frustration out on your Mother. He would come home drunk and beat her. She never let on and before anyone knew anything, she ended up in hospital in a coma. She lingered for a few days but died without regaining consciousness." He said, waiting for the explosion that he was sure would follow.

He did not have long to wait.

"HE DID WHAT!" Jane shouted, pacing up and down. A short while later, she calmed down and turned back to Frost. "What happened to him?" She asked thorough gritted teeth.

"He was arrested charged. He pleaded guilty to Manslaughter and got 20 years. Only he was attacked in the prison yard less than a year into his sentence. He bled out before help could arrive."

"Good, serves him right." Jane said, her eyes still blazing.

"Probably. So who do you want to see next?"

"Frankie. I wanna see Frankie!" Jane said, too afraid to ask to see who she really wanted to.

"He's here Jane." Frost said, indicating the headstone next to Angela's.

"Oh God, not him too! What happened?"

"Do you remember the siege at HQ? Well without you there to make sure he was treated, he died before the siege was over."

"Great, another person hurt by me!" Jane muttered. "What about Tommy?" She asked, not really wanting to see him, but needing to know if he was alright.

"He's still inside. He kind of lost it when your Ma died and attacked a fellow prisoner. He beat the man over the head, killing him almost instantly. He got life with no parole. Now are you going to stop procrastinating?" Frost said, looking Jane straight in the eyes.

"Yeah alright! Let's go and see how Maura's doing!" Jane agreed, hoping for a ray of sunshine in this gloomy world.

"It's about time." Frost said, taking Jane by the hand and there was another flash of light.

They appeared in a very fancy room that was full of people who were all evidently rich and powerful.

Jane looked about her. Everyone was dressed in fancy evening clothes and were eating fancy food and drink of trays.

Frost saw Jane's shoulder slump.

"She's over there." Frost said, indicating a small group of people.

Jane made her way slowly over to the group he had indicated.

She immediately saw Maura. She was, as usual when she attended events like this, immaculately dressed in a fancy evening dress that probably cost more than Jane made in a month. The first odd thing that Jane noticed was that Maura was drinking champagne like it was going out of fashion. Normally Maura would drink, but only have a glass or two at events like this. She would finish the glass and immediately get another from a passing waiter. After the 4th glass that Jane had seen her drink, the man who was standing next to her put his hand on her arm. At his touch, Maura immediately stopped and stood dutifully silent waiting for him to tell her what to do next.

Jane looked closer at the man who had dared to crush the life out of Maura. She was surprised as she recognised him. Garrett Fairfield, the arrogant man who had almost got away with murder. He wasn't even looking at her, but from the matching wedding rings they were clearly husband and wife. Just the sight of them together made Jane seethe with anger. Not only had he apparently gotten away with murder, but he was ignoring a woman who any man would be privileged to marry. She turned to Frost.

"How did this happen?" She asked.

"Just as with us, Maura was the ME who dealt with the death of his Brother. Though without you to push and to put him in his place, his family managed to have the investigation dropped. He also talked Maura into a date and they were soon pressured by their families into marriage. Not long after Maura was pressured into quitting her position as ME and to take her position as society wife. She was slowly changed from the independent woman we both know to a trophy wife and alcoholic." Frost said sourly.

This time Jane did not cry but she did look angry.

"Well it seems like this did not work either. Please get us out of here Frost, I can't bear to see her like this and not be able to do anything about it." Jane said, glaring at Garrett. If looks could kill, then Garrett would already be 6 feet under.

"I got it." Frost replied, taking Jane by the arm and causing another flash of light.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

They appeared back at the circle of light and this time there were no tears from Jane. She immediately sat down and looked at Frost.

"So what now? She asked.

"Well you've got one more trip left! Where do you want to go now?" He asked

"I've got no idea. I tried me never being born and Maura ended up in a loony bin. I tried me never joining the BPD, but Maura ended up married to Garrett! I have no clue on what to do next!" Jane said gloomily.

"Well what do you want? You can always ask for the solution you are after and I can you show you under what circumstances it could be achieved. But remember, this would only be one possible way to achieve it and it may not be any help to you. Do you understand?" Frost asked.

"Yeah I understand! I can get what I want, but will probably have no idea on how to get it." Jane grumped.

"More or less." Frost replied. "So what do you want to see?" He asked.

"I want to see Maura happy!" Jane said, her mouth in a determined line. "I want to see a world where Maura is living the best life she could. I don't care about anything else, I just need to see her happy!" She repeated, looking at Frost seriously.

"You got it Rizzoli! You know the drill!" Frost said, holding out his hand.

Jane nodded and extended her own hand. As soon as her fingers touched Frosts, there was the now familiar flash of light.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

They appeared in the grounds of a large, beautiful house. It was clearly an expensive house, but also a family one. On the well-kept lawn, surrounded by flowerbeds, there was a children's play-set with swing and ladder. There was also a soccer goal at one end and a basketball hoop attached to the wall.

"This is what makes Maura happy?" Jane asked as she took in the sights.

"Not really." Replied Frost. "This is just a side effect of what makes Maura happy. Shall we go inside and take a look?" Frost said, trying not to smile too much.

Jane nodded, not really knowing what to make of it. It showed her that Maura had children. That really didn't surprise Jane as she had always felt that Maura would make a wonderful Mother and any kid would count themselves lucky to have her as theirs.

"Alright, follow me." He said, heading up the path and through the door.

Jane mutely followed him through the door until they were both standing in the middle of a large hall.

"That's still a weird experience!" Jane muttered as she stood there looking about her.

The hall was wide and painted in light airy colours. There was a wide staircase in the middle going up to the bedrooms with elaborately carved rails on both sides. The walls had several tasteful pieces of art on display and there were several sculptures on small shelves. She was about to look at the art more closely when she heard giggling and several voices from behind a half open door.

Jane went over and peered in. The room was large and brightly decorated with a TV in one corner. There were maybe a dozen children from about 2 to about 14 in the room, all either reading, playing or watching TV. Her eyes fell on two girls, both about 12 who, despite looking very different from each other with one being blonde and the other brunette, both looked eerily familiar. They were arguing, their voices getting louder and louder.

"What's going on in here?" A much louder and very familiar voice shouted. The door opened and Angela Rizzoli came storming in.

"She started it!" The blonde and shorter of the two girls said.

"I did not! Clemie stole my Red Sox hat and won't give it back!" The taller brunette girl responded.

"You never wear it!" The Blonde replied. "You're not even a fan Dottie!" She accused.

"So what! It's my hat and not yours. Give it back!" The Brunette responded.

"Both of you settle down. Give Dottie her hat back Clemie!" Angela ordered.

"Yes Nonna!" The Brunette grumped, throwing the hat at the other girl.

Just as the Blonde caught the hat, the front door opened and someone entered.

"Uncle Frankie!" Called the Blonde, who ran over to the figure followed by the Brunette, the hat all but forgotten.

Jane turned and looked at the figure, easily recognising her Brother. He looked the same as he always did, his detective shield proudly displayed. The only difference was that he was holding the hand of a small girl.

"Hi girls." He replied, ruffling the Blonde's hair and tapping the Brunette on the chin. The little girl giggled before letting go and running into the room to join the other children.

"Have you seen Mom?" The Brunette asked.

"Your parents were just about to leave HQ when I left. They should be right behind me." Frankie replied.

He had no sooner spoken that the front door opened again to admit a heavily pregnant Maura.

"Mom!" The two girls called out together, nipping past Frankie to give Maura a hug. They were joined by most of the other children who also either said Mom or Auntie Maura as they rushed out to greet her.

Angela shooed most of the children back into the room and allowed the two girls to tow their Mother to the sofa where she immediately sank down.

"You were right Angela." Maura said, as the two girls cuddled up to her. "I should have started my leave already. I'm exhausted and I'm not sure how I've made it through the last week.

Jane looked at the domestic scene in front of her and immediately felt insanely jealous. She had never seen Maura so happy and she clearly suited Motherhood. She wondered who the lucky person was and hoped that they counted their blessings every day. It was then that Jane heard a sigh from behind her. She turned and for the second time, found herself staring face to face with herself. Only this time was very different.

This Jane was dressed in the full uniform of a BPD Captain. She still wore her signature smirk and mirror sunglasses, but there was an aura of authority about her that Jane did not recognise. This new Jane made her way over to where Maura was sitting and gave her a kiss.

"Ma!" Called out several of the children.

"Leave them be Kids!" Frankie said, making sure the children stayed quiet.

Jane was about to speak when there was a flash and the room vanished.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight.

They were back in the circle of light. She turned to Frost.

"What the hell! I wanted to stay some more." Jane moaned.

"There was nothing more to see Rizzoli. It was time to leave." He replied, waiting for the rant to start.

Instead Jane paused at what this had told her. She needed to speak to Maura but she also needed to know the how first.

"Ok Frost. But can you at least tell me how this happened that makes it so different?" She asked.

Frost thought for a moment before nodding.

"Alright Rizzoli." He agreed. "Their story started not long after you and Maura first met." He started.

"What? You mean when she tried to pay for my food when I was undercover for vice?" She asked.

"That's the one. That Jane sought her out a few days later to explain and apologise. They wound up having dinner together and soon became close friends. But it wasn't until she was attacked by Hoyt that it became something more. That Jane allowed Maura to take care of her while she was on leave and their relationship developed from there. While my counterpart still joined Homicide, you did not request a new partner as Maura talked you out of it. Not long after your return and at Maura's suggestion, you took and passed your Sergeants exam, becoming the youngest sergeant in the history of BPD Homicide. Not long afterward she proposed to Maura and they married about a year later. By the time Hoyt escaped, you were acting Lieutenant and Korsak, who had recognised the scene, immediately took steps to protect you both. Luckily, you and Maura had made sure the file was complete with every detail and the Task Force captured him before he could get hold of either of you. Not long afterwards you were confirmed Lieutenant and insisted that Korsak be made Sergeant. What followed a sort of golden age what saw case closure rate skyrocket and BPD Homicide become renowned all over the states for their practices and methods. When the BPD Chief retired due to ill health and one of the Captain's was promoted to fill the void, the other Jane was the natural successor. That, combined with the influence of the Isles family, guaranteed her the job. In between this, they stared a family and Maura is now pregnant with their 6th child." Frost said, smiling.

"Wow!" Jane remarked. "As Maura would say, 'But for want of a Horse shoe nail!' It proves that even the simplest decision can have amazing effects. I thought about making contact with herm but I was still technically undercover and I was unsure if I could trust her. I know now of course." She paused and smiled. "So what happens now?" She asked, knowing that she needed to speak to Maura as soon as she could.

"Well Jane. In a few minutes you will wake up back in the hospital. What you do afterwards is up to you!" Frost replied.

"I'm ready." Jane replied softly, standing there and waiting for something to happen.

"See you around Rizzoli!" Frost said as the light began to fade.

The light soon faded into total darkness but, like going through a tunnel, light seemed to be approaching rapidly. Soon Jane was overwhelmed by it and had to protect her eyes.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

Jane blinked and opened her eyes. She was back in the hospital and looking around her, it seemed like no time had passed. Both her Mother and Maura were still were they had been. This time however Jane's stirring caused both women to wake up.

"Janie, you're awake!" Angela squealed and tried to give her Daughter a hug. She was hampered however by the bed and the various wired and tubes that Jane was connected to.

"Ma!" Jane rasped. Her throat too sore to say anything else.

"What is it Janie?" Angela asked.

"Water!" Jane managed to say.

Mara, who had already realised what Jane would need, had already poured some water into a cup. She then raised it to Jane's lips and allowed her to take a few sips before putting the cup down.

Jane smiled at Maura who couldn't help but smile back. She had been scared for Jane and angry that she had put herself into that position again. This anger melted away when Jane smiled at her as she was truly relived that Jane had woken up.

Jane reached over and took Mara's hand, giving it a squeeze. Although this surprised Maura, she was immensely touched by the simple gesture.

Maura decided to say nothing and to allow Jane to take the lead. She hoped they could finally have a talk about their relationship. She had been in love with Jane almost from the time they met and instead of waning, the feelings had only got deeper with time. She knew however that Jane did not like talking about her feelings and Maura knew that if she pushed it, Jane was more likely to run away than talk, whatever her own feelings. And Maura was not nearly certain that Jane returned her feelings. There had been times when she thought she did, but not enough for her to act.

While Maura was sitting there, Jane's Doctor came in.

"Ah Detective, welcome back. How are you feeling?" He asked.

"Tired and sore but otherwise alright." Jane replied, wondering how long she would have to stay in the hospital.

"Well you were lucky. The bullet was a though and through. It clipped one of your lungs, but otherwise did no serious damage. I see no reason why you should not be able to go home in a few days. You will have to take things easy for a while but there is no reason why you should not make a full recovery."

"Thanks Doctor." Jane replied, surprising both her Mother and Maura who expected her to fight the Doctor about staying in and taking things easy.

Jane however was thinking hard about how she could make things right. She still held Maura's hand and this tough gave her the courage she needed.

Once the Doctor had left, Jane turned to Maura and saw how exhausted she looked.

"I know I should let you get home to bed Maur." Jane said slowly. "But I really need to talk to you!" She finished.

"Of course Jane." Maura replied, noting that the Brunette was on edge and had something to tell her. This made her both nervous and extremely proud. Nervous about what it might be and proud that she was the one Jane would choose to confide in.

"In private please Ma!" Jane said to Angela, who looked like she intended to stay.

Angela looked at Jane and then at Maura. She could see that both women were nervous and wanted privacy. So, without arguing, she got up and headed for the door.

"I'll go and get a coffee. I'll also let the others know you are awake." She said, slipping out and closing the door behind her. Once the door was closed, she crossed herself and hoped that they were going to finally open up to each other.

Contrary to Jane's opinion. Angela was perfectly aware that her Daughter was in love with Maura. Just as she was aware that Maura was in love with her Daughter. She had tried everything she could think of to get them together but had come to realise that they would have to do it themselves. As she went down the corridor, she smiled and pulled out her phone to get a message to Frankie, Vince and Sean.

Back in the room, Jane lay there for a few moments once the door closed, just looking at Maura.

Maura sat there and waited as she knew she could not rush this.

Eventually Jane stirred.

"I've got something to say Maura. Something I've too scared to say before now." Jane started.

Maura nodded, still not saying anything. She cherished these moments with Jane. When the Detective dropped her tough outer shell and gave Maura the hope that her feelings for Jane were returned.

"First of all I want to apologise. I should have done this a long time ago. I know I've caused you pain but you need to know that I didn't mean to hurt you." Jane said

"I know you didn't Jane. But that doesn't stop it hurting anyway." Maura replied softly before immediately cursing to herself. She did not what to cause Jane more pain which might cause her to clam up.

"I know. I'm not sure what I can do to stop it happening. Getting hurt can be part of the job and if I put my safety first, it would stop me doing the job as well as I do and I can't do that."

"I know you can't Jane. For you not to give it everything you have, would make you miserable. I'm not sure what to suggest!"

"I've tried to think too. But nothing comes. Anyway, that is not the main reason why I need to talk to you." Jane paused again and indicated to the cup.

Maura picked up the cup and allowed Jane a few more sips.

Jane then looked Maura in the eyes and took a deep breath.

"I love you Maura!" She said softly. "I've loved you for a long time but was too scared to tell you how I felt. I don't know if you feel the same way but I all I want is for you to be happy!"

Maura was stunned. She had never expected Jane to openly confess her feelings like this. Almost for the first time in her life, Maura was speechless. She also knew that Jane would expect her to say something. So she did the only thing she could think of. She leaned over and gave Jane a kiss.

Jane never took her eyes off Maura, waiting for her to respond. She saw the surprise in Maura's eyes when she confessed her love. She was about to try and give her friend an out when Maura kissed her. This set off fireworks in Jane's mind. It was only a short kiss, a bit hesitant and slightly unsure but in Janes mind, it was the answer to all her prayers.

When they broke apart, Jane smiled. Unable to say anything and not really needing to. Instead she patted the bed next to her and Maura lay down next to her, with her head in the crook of Jane's neck.

They lay there for a while, still holding hands and neither needing to say anything. They were both just happy that they knew the other one loved them and that was enough for the moment.

Soon they both drifted to sleep with Jane's arm around Maura to stop her from falling off the bed and their right hands intertwined.

That was where Angela found them when she returned about half an hour later. She smiled at the scene, took a picture of the two sleeping women with her phone and left them in peace. Humming to herself, she headed out to intercept the others so they would not disturb the two women.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Jane opened her eyes to the bright sunlight and realised it was morning. She looked to her side and saw that Maura was still lying there. Jane smiled and tried not to move. It didn't last long as her nose had begun to itch and before she could raise a hand to scratch it, she sneezed. This roused Maura from her sleep.

Maura opened her eyes and looked up at Jane, giving her a sleepy smile.

"Good morning Jane." She said softly, not wanting to move.

"Morning Beautiful." Jane replied, laying there and just looking at Maura."

"What time is it?" Maura asked.

Jane looked over at the clock that was on the wall.

"Just after 8am. It looks like a nice day outside!" Jane said.

"Just after 8!" Maura gasped. "I feel as if I've slept much longer. It was after midnight when you woke up. The nurse will coming by soon for morning checks and then they will be bringing breakfast." Maura said, not wanting to get up but knowing that she needed to. "I'm going to give your Mother a call and ask her to bring me a change of clothes and my wash bag. I'll then take a shower while you eat your breakfast." She paused and saw Jane's face drop. "Don't worry, I'll only be next door." She indicated to the bathroom door.

Jane nodded, despite not wanting Maura to go anywhere, she understood. She was about to reply when the door opened and Angela walked in.

"Morning Girls!" Angela said, carrying a sports bag in one hand, with a coffee cup and paper bag in the other.

"Morning Ma!" Jane replied, not even trying to get up.

"Good Morning Angela. Where did you get to last night?" Maura asked.

"When I came back, you two were already asleep so I left you too it and went home. I picked some clothes and wash stuff for you Maura as I figured you could use a wash and a change of clothes. I also brought you breakfast." She said, indicating the coffee and paper bag.

"What about me?" Jane asked. "Did you bring me any coffee? I could really use some right now!"

"I would have Jane but your Doctor told me that you need to stay off coffee for a while."

"Are you sure that's wise Angela?" Maura asked. "Do you remember what happened the last time Jane went without coffee for more than a few hours?" She added with a smile as she sat up a little and took the coffee from Angela with her spare hand.

"Hey I wasn't that bad!" Jane protested.

"Yes you were Jane. You were like a bear with a sore head." Maura said giggling a little.

"I was not!" Jane pouted.

Maura giggled a little more at the put before kissing Jane on the cheek. She had already done it before her brain engaged and she looked nervously at the Brunette.

Jane on the other hand was now smiling, her pout forgotten. She turned and kissed Maura back.

Angela looked on, delighted at what she saw. She was about to take another picture when the door opened again and the nurse came in.

"Good morning Ms Rizzoli. How are you today?" She asked, picking up Jane's chart and looking at the monitors.

"That's Detective!" Jane mumbled. "I feel fine. When's breakfast?" She asked, suddenly feeling hungry.

"Of course Detective. If your friends can give you some privacy, I'll go through the checks and then we can get some breakfast for you." The nurse replied.

Angela nodded.

"I'll head down to the lobby. Your Brothers and Vince said they would pop in this morning so I'll wait for them and bring them back after you're done." She said, putting the bags on one of the chairs and exiting quickly.

"And you too Miss!" The nurse said to Maura.

"That's Doctor." Jane said, fixing the Nurse with a glare.

"Sorry Doctor." The Nurse replied, blushing a little.

"No problem." Maura said. "I'll just go into the bathroom and take a shower. By the time I'm done, you'll be finished." Maura said, finishing the coffee and getting up. She picked up the sports bag and headed into the bathroom, closing the door behind her. There was soon the sound of water running from inside.

Jane immediately missed the contact and tried to sit up.

"What are you going to do?" She asked.

"I'm going to check your blood pressure, change your dressings and a few other little things. Don't worry, they won't hurt and it won't take long." The nurse replied, smiling at Jane.

"Well let's get on with it!" Jane said, impatient as always.

The nurse smiled and began to perform the morning checks.

About 45 minutes later, Maura exited the Bathroom, her hair freshly washed and styled. She was now wearing a slim skirt and blouse and she felt much better. She saw Jane was now sitting up in bed and the monitors had been disconnected. She looked in Maura's direction and gave a huge smile.

"Just in time, breakfast is on its way." Jane said, patting the bed next to her.

Maura smiled, went over to the bad and sat down.

Breakfast was soon delivered and despite the lack of coffee, Jane ate it all. Soon afterwards, the Doctor came and checked Jane over.

"You're looking good Detective. I want to keep you in until the end of the week and if all goes well, you will be able to go home then. But only if you promise to take things easy." The Doctor said with a serious expression.

"Oh she will take it easy Doctor. I can guarantee that!" Maura said with confidence. "I will be taking her home with me and I will look after her until she is back on her feet." She continued. "What is the prognosis for a full recovery?" She asked.

"Providing she does as she is told, the prognosis is excellent. But Jane will need to take things easy for at least a month." The Doctor replied.

"Good." Maura replied. "Let me know what she can and cannot do and I will make sure she sticks to it." She continued.

"Do I get a say in any of this?" Jane asked.

"No you don't Jane. If you want to get back to work, then you will do exactly as you are told." Maura said in her bossy voice.

Jane smiled and nodded, unable to say no to Maura.

"Very well. I'll be back later." The Doctor said. Leaving Jane and Maura to it.

Maura stayed with Jane in hospital for the rest of the week, never moving far from her side. It was during this time that they both decided that they wanted to take their relationship forward. Jane had asked Maura to go out with her once she was out of hospital and Maura joyfully accepted. They had decided that Jane was going to stay with Maura when she was discharged. They had made no fixed plans for the future, deciding to take things one step at a time.

Vince and Kavanagh both came by over the next few days to check on Jane's heath for themselves. Kavanagh told Jane that she was going to stay on medical leave until she was fully fit and he hinted that she should use some of her outstanding leave to take some time to herself. Jane didn't argue as she had already made up her mind to take things easier. She wasn't sure how she would do it, but she would make the effort to.

When Vince came by, he told Jane and Maura that he was looking to retire. He had found out that the _Dirty Robber_ was up for sale and he was thinking about buying it. Jane understood as he had been thinking about it for a while and if he owned the _Robber_ , he could still keep in touch with the cops for the precinct.

After Vince had left, Jane brought up the subject of taking her Sergeants exam with Maura. She wanted her girlfriend's opinion. Maura agreed that Jane should do it and offered to help Jane study. She called Kavanagh and he said there was an exam taking place in about 6 weeks and said he would put Jane forward. He came by the next day with the paperwork to fill in and told Jane she needed to return it by the end of the week.

At the end of the week, Jane was cleared to leave hospital with strict instructions to rest for at least a month. Maura helped Jane into her car and took her home, hoping that she could keep Jane occupied while she was recuperating.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Five Years Later

"Outa my way! I gotta get all this food sorted before my Janie get out of work!" Angela Rizzoli shouted as she barrelled through the door of the _Dirty Robber_.

"Chill out Ma!" Tommy called out from behind the bar. "We have several hours before they get here. Frankie is making sure they don't leave until we are ready."

"Don't to tell me to Chill Out young man!" Angela turned on her youngest. "You should know by now that we can't rely on Janie staying where she's supposed to."

"Yeah I know Ma! That's why we should have told Maura to keep her away. She's the only one Jane listens to!" Tommy replied.

"Come off it Tommy!" Vince Korsak said, coming out from the back room. "You know Maura can't keep a secret! And it will take Jane all of about 5 minutes to figure out that something is up and will not let up until she finds out. Hell, I've had to keep avoiding her ever since I found out as she can read me like a book."

"Is everything ready Vince?" Angela asked to former Detective and now landlord of the _Robber_.

"All the food is laid out, I've got plenty of your Daughters favourite beer in stock and Tommy is organising the music. All you need to do is finish decorating and warm up the food that needs it. Frankie will call when Janie is about to leave and the guests are due any time." Korsak said, checking everything off on his fingers.

"Then let's get moving!" Angela said as she started running around.

A couple of hours later, all the decorations were up and Tommy had started playing some background music. Some guests had arrived and were chatting as they waited for the guest of honour. Angela was looking nervously at the clock as some important guests had not arrived yet. She was just debating with herself whether to call when the door opened and Sean Kavanagh entered. He was in uniform and carried two children. One was a pretty blonde of about 4, who looked distinctly uncomfortable in the yellow dress she was wearing. He gently set her down and the girl immediately ran over to Angela.

"Nonna! How come I have to wear a dress?" The girl asked, looking up at Angela with bright hazel eyes.

"Now Lizzie, we talked about this! This is a special occasion and you have to look your best. That is a very pretty dress you have on. Don't you think so Uncle Vince?" She asked, addressing Korsak.

"You look beautiful Lizzie. Why don't you sit down and wait. Your Parents will be here soon. Here, I'll get you a fruit juice." Korsak said, getting the little girl a drink of juice and settling her down on a table to one side.

Meanwhile Angela went over to Sean who was carrying the other child, also a little girl though only about 5 months old, in a carry seat.

"How is Suzie doing?" She asked, peering into the seat and finding the baby asleep.

"She's been fine. I fed and changed her about an hour ago so we should be alright for a while. No doubt she'll wake up later." Kavanagh replied.

"Thank you for taking care of them Sean." Angela said, giving him a kiss.

"No problem Angie. They've both been good as gold. Besides, you had far too much to do to take care of them as well." He replied, giving her a hug.

"That's good. Have you seen Janie? Does she suspect anything?" Angela asked worriedly.

"I saw her first thing, before I picked up the kids. She was working on paperwork. Dispatch are under orders not to call her for anything and I drafted a few extra bodies in to cover for those who are coming tonight." Sean smiled as he went over to where Lizzie was sitting and sat down next to her.

More and more BPD officer came in but there was still no sign of Jane or Maura. Angela was beginning to panic when the phone rang. Vince picked it up, listened for a few seconds before hanging up. He looked over.

"That was Frankie, they're on their way. They are on their way over here. Jane's driving so we don't have much time. Frankie is right behind them." He said.

Angela started running round like a headless chicken making sure everything was right. Sean let her do it as there was no point in trying to interfere. The music was turned off and the lights were turned down.

Not long afterwards the door opened and Jane and Maura entered, hand in hand. Puzzled by the dark, Jane called out.

"I know someone is here, what's going on?" She questioned with her left hand hovering over where she kept her gun.

"Surprise!" Everyone shouted as the lights turned on. Jane was stunned as she looked at the room full of friends and family. Hanging right across the room was a huge banner that read 'Congratulations Lieutenant Rizzoli' Jane gasped and turned to Maura.

"Did you know about this?" She asked her.

"You know I can't lie Jane. I suspect they kept me in the dark on purpose." Maura replied, delighted that Jane had been confirmed Lieutenant.

"Ma!" Lizzie called out and ran over to the pair. Jane scooped the little girl up.

"Hey Bug. That's a pretty dress you have on." Jane said.

"Nonna made me wear it!" The little Blonde huffed and rolled her eyes, making Maura giggle.

"But you look beautiful Darling!" Maura said.

"But Mom! I can't have fun in a dress!" Lizzie said. Proving that, although Maura had given birth to her, she was definitely Jane's Daughter.

Angela was only a step or so behind her Granddaughter and gave Jane a hug.

"What's going on Ma?" Jane asked.

"Talk to Sean. He'll explain everything." Angela said, She was about to take Lizzie when Jane shifted her Daughter into a more comfortable position. Angela took that as a sign that Jane wanted to keep hold of her. She took a step back as, still holding Maura's hand, the little family went over to where Sean was now standing

"What's going on Captain?" Jane asked.

"You know you were asked to fill in when I was promoted?" Kavanagh asked.

"Yeah. But I never expected to get confirmed. I mean there are several others ahead of me in the pecking order." Jane replied.

"Well, I had a meeting with the other Captains and the Superintendent. While we agreed that there were others who could do the job, you are no doubt the most qualified for the job. The youngest Detective in the history of Boston. The first ever female Detective Sergeant in Boston Homicide. You also have one of the highest case closure rates ever in BPD. In addition to all of those, you have done an excellent job since I moved up. It will be officially announced tomorrow and there will be a ceremony in a week or so. Therefore your mother and I decided to organise a little party for you. Especially since you are going away for your anniversary later this month."

"Well thank you Sir. I'll try not to let you down!" Jane said, wiping her eyes and shifting Lizzie to her other hand so she could shake hands.

Once she had shaken Sean's hand, she was given another hug by her Mother. The Rizzoli Matriarch took her Granddaughter off Jane and retreated to let Maura congratulate Jane.

"Congratulations Jane, you really deserve it." Maura said, giving Jane a kiss.

"It's all thanks to you Maur! If you had not both kept me off my feet while I recovered and helped me study for my Sergeants exam I would not be here today."

"I may have helped Jane, but it was you who passed the exam not me. You've helped me in far more ways Jane. I thank my lucky stars every day that I met you. You have given me a family, even before we were married. Why do you think I had no interest in the double barrelled name? I was happy to become a Rizzoli in name as well a practice." Maura said, looking deeply into Jane's eyes.

"I love you Mrs Rizzoli." Jane said, giving Maura another kiss.

"I love you too Mrs Rizzoli!" Maura replied, returning the kiss. "Now let's enjoy the party!" She added, allowing Jane's friends and colleagues to congratulate her wife.


End file.
